Stanford, Jane Lathrop, 1828-1905

Jane Eliza Lathrop was born August 25, 1828, the daughter of Dyer Lathrop of Albany, New York. In 1850 she married Leland Stanford, returning with him to California in 1855 where they settled in Sacramento. Leland Stanford later became President of the Southern Pacific Railroad and Governor of California. Their only child, Leland Stanford, Jr., was born in 1868. During a European tour in 1884 he contracted typhoid fever and died in Florence, Italy. In 1885, Jane and Leland Stanford founded the Leland Stanford Junior University, in memory of their son. Jane was a full partner with her husband in the planning of the University, which opened in the fall of 1891. After her husband's death in 1893, she overcame great financial hardships to keep the University open until her husband's estate was settled. Thereafter, she directed expansion of the campus. She died on February 28, 1905 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Widow of Leland Stanford; co-founder of Stanford University.

Jane Eliza Lathrop was born on August 25, 1828, in Albany, New York, the daughter of Dyer Lathrop and Jane Anne (Shields) Lathrop. She married Leland Stanford in 1850, and the two settled in San Francisco in 1855. Leland Stanford was a cofounder of the Central Pacific Railroad and also served as Governor of California from 1861-1863.The couple's only child, Leland Stanford, Jr., was born in 1868 and died of typhoid fever while on holiday in Italy in 1884. In memory of their son, Jane and Leland Stanford founded the Leland Stanford Junior University (later Stanford University) in 1885. After Leland Stanford's death in 1893, Jane directed the development of the University, including advocating its coeducational and nondenominational aspects. Jane Lathrop Stanford died on February 28, 1905, in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Biography

Jane Eliza Lathrop was born August 25, 1828, the daughter of Dyer Lathrop of Albany, New York. In 1850 she married Leland Stanford, returning with him to California in 1855 where they settled in Sacramento. Leland Stanford later became President of the Southern Pacific Railroad and Governor of California. Their only child, Leland Stanford, Jr., was born in 1868. During a European tour in 1884 he contracted typhoid fever and died in Florence, Italy. In 1885, Jane and Leland Stanford founded the Leland Stanford Junior University, in memory of their son. Jane was a full partner with her husband in the planning of the University, which opened in the fall of 1891. After her husband's death in 1893, she overcame great financial hardships to keep the University open until her husband's estate was settled. Thereafter, she directed expansion of the campus. She died on February 28, 1905 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Biography/Adminstrative History

Widow of Leland Stanford; co-founder of Stanford University.